Where does diet and exercise come into this?There are many claims for metabolic boosting foods and exercise strategies that target metabolism. While spicy foods and protein-rich meals have a short term (and small) effect to speed up metabolism, there is only one thing guaranteed to really work – exercise. The double boost of exercise – speeding metabolism and improving muscle mass and function – has many additional health benefits, from improving blood pressure, reducing the risk of diabetes and heart disease, and reducing the risk of cognitive decline.Building and sustaining an exercise regime targeting fitness and power is the best strategy for giving yourself a metabolism boost.